Phillies Nation

(In reference to todays earlier conversation) if only we had Cliff Lee still… Oh wait…

Vic was 0-4, Howard was also pretty ugly.

Werth deserves the jeltz for his baserunning. The game would have been tied in the 9th.

I think almost everyone besides Cole deserved a Jeltz today.

This is the Hamels that we all wanted to see this year, and it’s just a damn shame that the offense had to let him down like that.

He pitched deep into the game and only gave up 2 runs, something that only Roy had done so far this season until tonight.

You could never dig up enough money on the Phillie payroll to pay Roy Oswalt, plus he has a full no-trade clause, plus the Phillies have no real tradeable pieces, regardless of how dumb Ed Wade is (and he is indeed very dumb)

I think the Jeltz should go to everyone other than the pitching tonight

I disagree. He was squeezed by the ump in his start at the Nats. And so was the Nats starter that night for that matter. In his 2nd start, he was robbed of a would be inn end s/o on the 3-2 pitch with 2 outs. The bad call loaded the bases and the pitcher slapped a soft/weak liner over Pala’s head for a 2run double. Today of course was his best outing. There is no shld/ve/could’ve in sports. But Cole has pitched well enough to be 3-0.

KK starting against the Braves will get ugly awfully fast, unless he lives up to his initials and starts throwing some K’s.

The worst part is the burden that he is likely to place on the bullpen if they take him out early.

Regardless of how well he pitches, they need to leave him in until like the 7th, and if he buries us by 20 runs then going to the bullpen won’t even matter.

The bullpen needs their rest, so Kendrick has to stay late into the game no matter what.

I don’t often agree with Dipsy, but they’re right. Cliff Lee is a Seattle Mariner.

Really?? Lee’s on Seattle now?? Thanks for the update Dip-sh*t…. The pt of the cmmt is not about one pitcher. For a team that says that they will rtn to the WS and that they can beat the Yanks. They said that last Oct too you know, they sure have a lot of pitching ?? Both in the rotation/bull pen. All they seem to wanna talk about are the Yanks.. But what about the Braves/those pesky Marlins?? or the Giants? or the Cards or the Rockies again. Heck, by the end of the season the Nats rotation may have more talent than ours. The Phils had very viable options to make their rotation stronger entering the 2010 season, but they passed. You pass up on Lee. Ok fine. But you better have one hellva back up plan. Moyer?? really?? Kendrick has proven to be nothing more than a Romantic Disaster… Doc=Gangsta, Kyle Kendrick=Wangsta in waiting. They threw away a title in 2009 due to a simple lack of attention to detail. You get Lee(there goes that man again), but if they also add one relv, then phils could’ve keep either Blanton/Happ as a starter only throughout playoffs. Maybe even both. Guranteed, the Phils will be looking to acquire at least 1 starting pitcher at the trade deadline. And the rest of MLB will laugh and say “but you already had the starter pitcher you needed to win it all, but you traded him away for a couple of warm bodies” haha! The end.

My point is..Repeat!…is that its time to get off it. You didn’t agree with the trade and thats fine. There is a statute of limitations on wanking about deals and you’ve exceeded it. Its time to bitch about THIS years teams and I’m right there with ya pal. When its time to bitch, I will be first in line. In the meantime, Cole pitched a gem which should make us all feel better, Blanton is coming and then, god willing, the staff will be purring like a kitten by May 15. Its beautiful out today, now get out to Island Ave and sell those roses!

The Dipsy

Werth definately should have scored. Ok, you pretend that your tagging up…fine. But then after he stopped halfway, he took his eye off the ball and walked back to 3rd. That’s when he could have scored. That’s my only beef with Werth…he has these moments where he’s not in the game. I think it’s the bong residue seeping into his brain. Howard also drove me nuts over the weekend….swinging at first pitches after a walk. I agree with you guys though…basically the whole team deserves the Jeltz.

I hate to say it but this team is not going out at the deadline to acquire a pitcher. The Phillies lack of a farm system and valued prospects is so similar to what the Flyers went through this past year. Obvious holes but the only way the Flyers and now the Phillies can make a trade to fix their holes(goaltending/pitching) is to trade someone currently on the roster. And thus probably weakening somewhere that is actually solid. The Phillies can’t trade Moyer because no one wants him and his albatross of a contract. I doubt anyone wants Kendrick, unless he turns into Halladay Lite which at this point is very doubtful, then he has no value. Maybe they can get someone in the AL to take on Ibanez as a DH and get a pitcher in return but I don’t know what team who is out of it by then will want to add an aging LF who at this point is only good as a DH.

The fact is the Phillies have one option and his name is Pedro. Problem is, no one signed him because no one sees him as anything more than a half a season answer. And their question is not a half of a season one, it’s a full season issue. I will go out on a limb and say Halladay, Hamels and Blanton will be fine. But now I am concerned about Happ and his arm issues. Could be nothing, could be an issue. I guess if we have to live with Moyer as the 5th starter then so be it. As bad as he his numbers look, he has been fine outside of one bad inning in each start. The problem is you can not put your team in a 5-0 hole out of the gate. Even this team in all its offensive glory is streaky.

I say let the rotation sort itself out as it will, my concern is the pen. I still don’t think Lidge and Romero will be able to help us. I still think, as I always have that Baez sucks and I am still iffy on Hendron.

Madson has not blown a lot of leads as a set up man. He sucked as a closer last year, no doubt. But as a set up man he is pretty solid. Madson’s issue is that for some reason when he pitches in a non save or hold situation(which is having a lead before the 9th) then he just flat out stinks.

When Blanton returns, Kendrick does not go to the BP as was the original plan. He goes to AAA, and Figueroa remains as long man. I don’t think I agree that Lidge and Romero “won’t be able to help,” or that the ‘pen is all that bad, despite the frustrating Madson and the so far ineffective Baez. It’s the starters who worry me, particularly Happ. He’s been injured before.

But there are a few options out there in free agent land besides Martinez. I wouldn’t rule out Smoltz yet. There’s also Washburn, who wouldn’t be a great choice, but can at times be effective. There may be others dropped for roster considerations. J.C. Romero, remember, was released by Boston because they didn’t have a need for him. And in a real pinch, Figueroa or Contreras can start a game or two. As long as two or three pitchers don’t go down at the same time, things won’t be horrible.

If Smoltz wants to come back in relief, I’m all for it. Washburn is an OK 5th starter, so temper expectations when it comes to the free agent scrap heap.

Pedro or Washburn?

If one is talking about replacement starters, one always has to temper expectations. Quality depends on who’s out there and who else might be bidding, but depends mostly on cost. The Phils are pretty much at their spending limit.

Most options are far from “first choice,” but that’s why they’re called “replacements.”

The point was raised not to praise the “scrap heap,” but to point out that there are some adequate, but not spectacular, options. There are some major league arms out there. The team might need one or two, because, as Ed R. says, they have no real trade chips.

Pedro over Washburn.

Two reasons…I don’t think we need another lefty which Washburn is.

He didn’t exactly put up stellar numbers in Safeco, a pitchers park, and in Detroit he was flat out garbage, also a pitchers park. He is just another case of a guy who can be brilliant one game and terrible the next. We need someone consistent. Not saying we need another Ace but at least someone like Blanton who can give us 6-7 innings and a 4.50 era would be good.

Makes me feel much better being from Baltimore after I read about Michael Clemmens, fan of your beloved Phillies, last week here – http://oriolesshallreturn.blogspot.com/2010/04/philadelphia-city-of-thuggerly-love.html

We might be bad fans of a bad team, but you guys are totally outta control.

George…

“flaming bag of excrement”

One of the best lines I’ve read on here. Priceless!!

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Madson does not “suck”. He is just “frustrating to watch sometimes”. But he has indeed been one of the best over the past 3 years and, yeah, who else is there?

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Pedro? Washburn? I guess I would have to take Pedro. Maybe get him BEFORE the middle of August though.

Smoltz would maybe be a decent addition to the bullpen.

Dipsy…Washburn was fantastic in Seattle last year but awful in Detroit and I guess has had some arm issues since then. Mostly why he has not been signed, though from what I read he is probably going to go back to Seattle.

And as for Ken from Baltimore…if you are going to come on here and post on this blog try to show some class. Do not group all of us into the same category as that scum bag mentioned in the article. We are not all like that. 99% of us, are not like that and find what he did to be disgusting and completely unacceptable.

it sucks that some douchbag from Cherry Hill . . . the type of fan that gets drunk enough at games to be thrown out for language, etc… and now throwing up on people ..

Tells you how much of a baseball fan he really is, if he gets that drunk and acts like that .. (The kind of fan that had me really pissed off two years ago when Phillies Nation posted that video of “BIGGEST FAN” .. and it was two clowns chugging liquor in the parking lot.. and then throwing stuff into the Mets bullpen and running away)

It really sucks that people like this get called “Phillies fans” and give us all a bad name, but it is what it is…

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Jayson Werth would have been DEAD OUT at home trying to tag on a shallow flyball to center. The fact that it went off target has nothing to do with the fact that he should not have gone. The thing he did wrong on that play, was TURNING HIS BACK TO THE PLAY.. if he would have been back-peddling towards 3rd base when the throw was going in, he could’ve had the chance to try to score once the throw went wide.. but even then, Im guessing he would’ve stayed because you’re already at 3rd base. No point in trying a high-risk play to score, when you’re only 90 feet away.

hindsight is 20/20, and people want to try to call him out for a bad play, but that really wasn’t a play that cost them the game in any way..

He’ll be more heads-up for the rest of the season in similar situations, but to fault him on that play is wrong

ken you are right last year they killed a kid I KNEW from south philly ,kid wasnt a fighter, tile setter ,funny kid like to drink make you laugh, they beat him and ran him over in the parking lot after a game. another kid ran over two ladies from st louis for no reason. I live in south philly but cant go to games too much fighting, I had to throw a guy off my brother about 7 years ago , he was drunk and bump into my brother and attacked him. and i am no fighter but had to grab this guy to protect my brother. and the eagles fans are worst. they pissed in the streets after games walking home or to there cars which they park on our streets not to pay parking. One guy pissed on my corner with my little daughter standing there, I WENT NUTS he didnt care a littles girl was playing there. so dont believe the idiots who defend the fans. it happens a lot.

I was at the game on Saturday night (kids’ opening night) with my 6 year-old son and his friend… we were in Left-Centerfield. We had some rawkus-looking younger guys in our section but I can honestly say that they were extremely friendly and accomodating. The one gentleman was wearing a big viking hat… the kids loved it. He let them wear the hat while I took a picture and actually took it off because he realized that the little girl behind him couldn’t see. Everyone did their best to bite their tongues while Jamie stunk it up in the first inning… like I said, there were a lot of kids around. The kids enjoyed it… that’s what Philly is about. You can come to the park and have a good time with your kids… stories like that one upset me because I have been to countless games with my son and I’ve never had a bad experience.